October 31, 2023

An Unwelcome Arrival


An Unwelcome Arrival
Protesters in Dagestan about to surround an airplane from Israel. Youtube, Meduza.

On September 29, a group of protesters in the Makhachkala, Dagestan airport surrounded and attempted to storm a plane that landed from Tel Aviv, Israel.

Before the flight arrived, Telegram channels began circulating information about a flight with evacuees from Israel arriving in Dagestan. They called for people to gather at the airport and stop cars to check passengers' passports. Protesters even stopped an OMON (riot police) van. One passenger who was encircled by picketers was let go after saying he was Russian and showing his Russian passport. He was allegedly told, "We are not touching non-Jews today."

A few hours later, protesters broke into the airport itself, chanting antisemitic slurs. Staffers locked themselves inside their offices. The police called through a megaphone to refrain from unlawful activity, such as blocking roads, but said they understood the protesters and were ready to chant with them. Police did not intervene until the crowd broke through to the tarmac and headed toward the plane.

At that point, the airport was temporarily shut down. Authorities opened an investigation and said they would use CCTV footage to identify rioters. 

Israel's siege and bombardments of Gaza, in response to Hamas' October 7 terrorist attacks, have sparked international outrage and protests. Chechnya and Dagestan, predominantly Muslim regions, have expressed a strong connection to Palestinians. Dagestani wrestler Islam Makhachev has voiced solidarity with Gazans. Flights between Tel Aviv and Makhachala, Dagestan, are common as a connection flight to Moscow, as direct flights to the Russian capital are more expensive.

Only a few hours prior, the Head of Dagestan asked the population to refrain from acts of violence in response to Israel's actions in Gaza. Over the past few days, though, a series of anti-Semitic incidents have occurred across the North Caucasus. A Jewish cultural center was set on fire, and there was an attack on a hotel where, allegedly, people who left Israel were staying.

You Might Also Like

Laying Low
  • August 15, 2023

Laying Low

The tale of René Coignard, who changed his name and spent six months hiding in a wooden hut to escape the draft.
US Reroutes Aid
  • October 27, 2023

US Reroutes Aid

Thousands of artillery shells meant for Ukraine will be sent to Israel to replenish depleted U.S. stocks.
Escaping the Draft – in Israel
  • October 23, 2023

Escaping the Draft – in Israel

Russian-Israelis want to return to Russia to avoid being drafted into Israel's military. But Russia is also conscripting.
Russia Reacts to Gaza War
  • October 16, 2023

Russia Reacts to Gaza War

400 Russians asked to be evacuated from Gaza as Israel ordered the evacuation of 1.1 million people.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.
Marooned in Moscow

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955